DIII: Roanoke Advances to ODAC Championship

SALEM – The Roanoke College men's lacrosse team advances to the ODAC Championship game after defeating Randolph-Macon, 15-6 on Saturday evening. The Maroons advance in the tournament with a record of 14-3, while the Yellow Jackets stand with a mark of 10-9.

The Maroons are currently coming off of the team's 20th ODAC regular season title, after going 9-0 in ODAC play. The Maroons have advanced to the ODAC Championship game and try to win the team's 18th ODAC Championship and 24th bid into the NCAA Tournament.

The first period was a low-scoring quarter, but the Yellow Jackets got an early jump on the Maroons. Robert Fox scored the first goal of the game in just 50 seconds, giving Randolph-Macon an early 1-0 lead. Josh Merwin tacked on a goal of his own to extend the lead to two with 13:10 to play in the quarter. Tyler McWilliams scored Roanoke's lone goal of the frame off an assist by ODAC Player of the Year, Richard Lachlan, pulling the Maroons within one 2-1.

Roanoke got hot in the top of the second quarter as they went on a 5-0 run. Third Team All-ODAC selection, Will Pilat, scored his 30th goal of the season off of an assist by McWilliams to tie the game at 2-2. Mike Hayden, Brendan Nizolek each scored one goal in that run, while McWilliams scored his second and third goals of the contest, putting Roanoke ahead 6-2. The Yellow Jackets' only goal in the period came rom Justin Butler, the leading scorer in the ODAC as he found the back of the net for the 40th time this season. Tyler Cockey scored for the Maroons in the final seconds of the quarter, giving Roanoke a 7-3 advantage at the half.

Cockey opened the third period with a goal, his 13th of the season, assisted by Pilat. Jason Andrews scored shortly thereafter, pulling the Yellow Jackets back within four, 8-4 with 13:22 to play in the third. The Maroons only scored two more goals in the period, starting with Second Team All-ODAC member Troy Grogan, who scored just his third goal of the season. Lachlan finished off the third with a goal, putting the Maroons up 10-4 with 15:00 to play.

Randolph-Macon was the first to strike in the final stanza, as Fox netted his second goal of the game, just a minute into the period. Roanoke responded with two goals in the next two minutes as Lachlan and Kyle Smith each found the back of the net. The Yellow Jackets' final goal of the game came at the 11:38 mark in the quarter as Tim Rowe scored, pulling within six, 12-6. The Maroons finished off the game with three more goals, as McWilliams, Lachlan and Colin Rossano each scored a goal.

Tyler McWilliams led the Maroons in scoring, netting four goals and dishing out two assists. He was followed in scoring by Richard Lachlan, who finished with three goals and one assist. Second in assists on the team was Will Pilat, who finished with three, going along with his one goal. First Team All-ODAC selection Charles Pease played 55 minutes in goal and tallied nine saves for the win.

The Yellow Jackets were led in scoring by Robert Fox who finished the game with two goals off five shots. Jason Andrews finished the contest with the team's lone assist. Nick Benhoff, who did most of the face-off work for Randolph-Macon finished the game with a team high eight ground balls.

Roanoke led the Yellow Jackets in a number of statistical categories including: shots (55-27), ground balls (39-33), faceoffs (15-10) extra-man goals (2-0). Randolph-Macon led the Maroons in saves, 13-9.

The Maroons return to action on Sunday, May 5th, as they play in the ODAC Championship game against conference-rival Washington and Lee. Roanoke's game against the #13 ranked Generals is slated for a 3:00 PM start in Kerr Stadium.